St John’s is located in New Brunswick and was initially established as a fishing village buy there were no permanent residents. In 1583 Sir Humphrey Gilbert claimed the area as England’s first overseas colony by Royal Charter issued by Queen Elizabeth. By 1620 fishermen from the West Country of England controlled most of the fishing off the coast and in about 1630 St John’s was established. The first defences are believed to have been built after Dutch attacks in 1665 and 1673. Fort William was the first major fortification. St John’s was attacked by the French in 1696, 1705 , 1708 and finally in 1761. In 1762 the British expelled the French with forces under Colonel William Amherst (Fort Amherst named after him), and by the end of the 18th Century both Fort Amherst and Fort Waldergrave had been constructed.
St John’s was used as a naval base during the American Revolutionary Wars, the War of 1812 with America and Napoleonic Wars.
During the Victorian period there was some attention paid to coastal defences, but by 1870 the responsibility had largely shifted to the Canadian Government, with the withdrawal of the British Army from most of Canada. A few modern works were built and there was a great deal of discussion about turning St John’s into a coaling station in 1881. However, other priorities and funding meant that little was done. The primary batteries during the Victorian era are listed below.
In 1881, under pressure from the local authorities in St John’s, consideration was given to making the anchorage a coaling station able to withstand attack from a cruiser. Plans were drawn up and circulated (TNA MPG 1/867) and the armament proposed for five coastal defence batteries was as follows: